Why Do We Have Earwax?

Words to Know

Cerumen

The science word for earwax

Cerumen is made by special glands inside your ear canal.

Glands

Tiny body parts that make stuff your body needs

Sweat glands make sweat, and ceruminous glands make earwax.

Ear canal

The tube-like path from outside your ear to your eardrum

Earwax lives in your ear canal to trap dirt and bugs.

Antibacterial

Something that fights germs and keeps things clean

Earwax has antibacterial powers — it fights germs in your ear!

Check What You Learned

Fun Facts

• Earwax (cerumen) is produced by modified sweat glands (ceruminous glands) and sebaceous glands in the outer ear canal.

  Source: American Academy of Otolaryngology

• Earwax has antibacterial and antifungal properties — it contains enzymes and acidic lipids that inhibit microbial growth.

  Source: NIH/NIDCD

• Earwax traps dust, dirt, and foreign particles, preventing them from reaching the eardrum.

  Source: Mayo Clinic

• The ear is self-cleaning: jaw movement (chewing, talking) helps move earwax outward naturally.

  Source: American Academy of Otolaryngology

• Doctors recommend against inserting cotton swabs or other objects into the ear canal, as this can push wax deeper and cause impaction or injury.

  Source: FDA safety communication

• There are two genetically determined types of earwax: wet (dominant) and dry (recessive), more common in East Asian populations.

  Source: Nature Genetics, 2006